PARISIANS An Adventure History of Paris

Graham Robb's "mini human comedy of Paris" takes the city from the French Revolution to recent times through the lives of its people. Simon Vance narrates the history with an eloquent British-accented voice that leaves room for human moments and humor. He gives a lively tone to stories such as Marie Antoinette's flight from Paris and the rise of Vidocq, the ex-con who headed the Sûreté. Elsewhere, he lingers reflectively over the description of an old photo and captures the poignancy of the experiences of Jewish Parisians during WWII. The strong sense of place in Robb's descriptions may make listeners feel like they're visiting the City of Lights. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2010]